Entrepreneur Refutes Mayor Cheryl Cox’s Assertions About Medical Pot

During an October 12 Chula Vista City Council meeting, mayor Cheryl Cox gave a statement regarding her thoughts and opposition to the legalization of marijuana.

“The potential for criminal action is enormous and threatens the safety of our residents,” said Cox, a former educator who is also against medical dispensaries in Chula Vista. “The benefits of taxable revenue are highly questionable and uncertain,” she said.

Cox added that none of the major problems in the city — such as pension reform, higher dropout rates in schools and increased unemployment — can be solved by making marijuana legal.

“What message do we want to send our children? Legalizing drugs sets our children up for yet one more pitfall,” Cox said.

Daniel Green, a young businessman who has been trying to open a medical marijuana cooperative but has been delayed because of a citywide moratorium, responded to the mayor’s comments on October 28 during the public-comment portion of the city-council meeting.

“I remind you, Mayor, your statements concerning cannabis are coming from a position of ignorance,” said Green. “You are not and have never been a medically licensed doctor. There isn’t anything to be scared of — cannabis isn’t illegal because it’s dangerous; it’s dangerous because it’s illegal.”

Green said there are many misconceptions regarding cannabis and referred to some of the mayor’s statements as a way of “fear-mongering.” He said that there are many community members who suffer from ailments and seek use of a substance legalized for medicinal purposes under state law. However, he continued, they are being painted as “evil people” by Mayor Cox.

“You can’t ignore Prop 215, and you can’t prohibit me from opening once this moratorium is up,” Green continued. “I’m offering you new business with new jobs to pay new revenue into the city — all completely legal and you’re delaying and denying the process.”